Apple strudel on a white plate with silver fork (milla74 (123RF))
What’s not to love about apple strudel? The warm, baked apple interior and flakey layers of dough topped with a delicious vanilla cream sauce is the quintessential Austrian dessert. But what if you want to make this dish at home? It’s too hard, right? That’s what I thought until we booked an apple strudel class during our visit to Salzburg.
The Edelweiss Cooking School looks unassuming from the outside, but the interior is a very cool space. It’s dark and moody but is the perfect backdrop for making a traditional apple strudel.
Writer putting the apples into the pastry (Kristen Thoennes)
After getting checked in, you will be assigned a table for your group. All the ingredients and supplies you’ll need for making a delicious apple strudel are provided. An experienced chef guides you along your journey to making an impressive dessert. Plus, the class is in English, making it easy to follow along!
During the class, you’ll learn some interesting facts about Austrian delicacies and cuisine. In addition to making apple strudel, you will learn about and make the Salzburger Nockerl, a traditional souffle dessert that represents the mountains surrounding Salzburg. It’s not a dessert we would have tried on our own, so it gave us the perfect opportunity to taste it. You will also be served traditional goulash soup for lunch before you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you are vegan or vegetarian, they have an alternative for you.
Nockerl in a bowl (Kristen Thoennes)
I loved learning the technique for making strudel dough. This was the most intimidating part for me. To make authentic strudel, the dough must be rolled out paper thin which can take a little time. But you can notice the difference once you bite into the flakey crust.
I left the class with a happy belly and feeling empowered to make apple strudel at home. Even though I haven’t yet, I know that I could if I wanted to!
Edelweiss Cooking School offers two other classes in case you want to try something different than apple strudel. You can find all the details on their website: https://www.edelweiss-cooking.com/.
Two baked strudels side-by-side in a pan (Kristen Thoennes)
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense.
